Grass silhouettes/SWF

Grasses silhouetted against the changing moods of Coron sky.

My beloved is the sun
And I am the earth that thrives only in her warmth. 

My beloved is the rain
And I am the grass that thirsts for her quenching kiss. 

My beloved is the wind
And I am the wings that soar when she fills me with her gentle strength.
My beloved is the rock
Upon which rests the happiness of all my days.

The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. ~ Henry Miller

Linking to Skywatch-Friday

Here's that rainy day.../SWF

Maybe I should have saved those leftover dreams  

Funny but here's that rainy day  

Here's that rainy day they told me about  

And I laughed at the thought that it might turn out this way

 Where's that worn out wish that I threw aside  

After it brought my lover near  

Oh, funny how love becomes a cold rainy day 

Funny that rainy day is here...

~ Nancy Wilson's version here.

Linking to Sky-Watch Friday

Rain or Shine/SWF

I'm gonna love you
Like nobody's loved you,
Come rain or come shine.
High as a mountain,
Deep as a river...
Come rain or come shine.

~ Come Rain or Come Shine (Billie Holiday)

Listen here

Linking to Sky-Watch Friday

Bluer than blue/SWF

And I never saw blue like that before
Across the sky
Around the world
You've given me all you have and more
And no one else has ever shown me how
To see the world the way I see it now
Oh, I, I never saw blue like that...

~ Never Saw Blue Like That, by Shawn Colvin
Listen here 

Linking to Sky-Watch Friday

Burning in the Skies/SWF

I used the deadwood to make the fire rise

The blood of innocence burning in the skies

I filled my cup with the rising of the sea

And poured it out in the ocean of debris...

~ by Linkin Park

Linking to Sky-Watch Friday

Calamianes: At day's end/Water World Wednesday

Going back to Busuanga Island after a day of island hopping and snorkeling.  We were tired but happy, and looking forward to another exciting day. 

Linking to Kim's  Water World - Wednesday

and NF Waters

Sunday Bridges/Rural bridge

A tiny wooden bridge in Busuanga Island I spotted on the way to the airport.  Took this photo from the back of the moving van.

Linking to Louis' Sunday Bridges

Animals & Bliss/Photo-Hunt

These two photos were taken in different areas of Busuanga Island.  From Busuanga airport to our hotel, I noticed a herd of cows in the field, some even crossed the road  to join their compadres on the other side (even cows adhere to the illusion that the grasses are greener and tastier on the other side :p). I wondered out loud if there were road accidents here caused by these animals, and our driver confirmed it.  But as everyone who lives in the island knows about cows walking around this pasture reserve, the driver said that running over a cow is just plain recklessness.  The cows belong to the King Yulo Ranch, a 40-hectare cattle ranch that is supposedly the largest ranch in southeast Asia, but the number of cattle has dwindled over the years. The ranch was sequestered by the government more than 20 years ago based on allegations that it was part of the ill-gotten wealth of the owners, who were tagged as cronies of an ousted president.

From Coron town, we climbed Mount Tapyas, the second highest point in the island.  The views from the top were pure bliss---the grass-covered hills, the silhouettes of nearby islands, the natural beauty of this island, are simply soothing to the senses.

Linking to Saturday Photo-Hunt and Keyhole Pictures

Tapos/End

Sa wakas, tapos na ang aming paghihintay nang makita ko ang paglapag ng eroplanong ito ng Cebu Pacific sa Busuanga airport.  Dalawang araw kaming stranded dito noong Setyembre nang hindi makalapag ang Cebu Pacific dahil daw sa sama ng panahon.  Samantala ang mga eroplano ng Air Philippines at Zest Air, pati na ang mga maliliit na Cesna planes ay nakalapag naman.  Hindi maipaliwanag ng maayos ng mga ground crew ng Cebu Pacific sa mga galit na pasahero kung bakit ang eroplano lang nila ang hindi makalapag.  Ang masama pa, hindi sinagot ng Cebu Pacific ang gastos sa hotel, pagkain at pamasahe ng mga stranded na pasahero sa unang araw.  Dinadahilan nila ang masamang panahon, hindi daw nila sagot ang gastos ng pasahero kapag masama ang panahon at nakansela ang flight.  Sa pangalawang araw, hindi na namin sila tinigilan at binayaran nila ang aming gastos sa hotel at pagkain.

Marami ang naperwisyo ng Cebu Pacific sa mga nakanselang flight.  May mga dayuhang turista na napilitan bumili ng napakamahal na tiket sa Air Philippines para umabot lang sa connecting flight nila sa Manila papuntang ibang bansa.  May mga balikbayan na may connecting flight din papuntang ibang probinsya.  May mga budget travelers na wala ng pera.  At nasayang ang dalawang araw na sana na-enjoy pa namin kaysa naghihintay lang sa airport.

Takot pala sa ambon ang mga piloto ng Cebu Pacific.  Dapat kalesa lang ang minamaneho nila!  Dahil sa walang kwentang serbisyo ng Cebu Pacific, nabahiran ng inis ang aming alaala ng bakasyon sa Coron.  Ang hindi maasahan na serbisyo ay makakasira din sa turismo ng Calamianes.

Pinangako ko sa sarili ko na yon na ang huli kong pagsakay sa Cebu Pacific, kahit mura pa ang pamasahe nila!

Linking to Litratong Pinoy

Waiting [Photo Hunt]

Wet, empty benches at the park facing Coron Bay, waiting for the sun to shine on this tropical landscape made bleak by monsoon rain.  

Walking away from the benches brought me to the edge of the harbor.  Here, a row of outrigger boats that ply around the placid waters of Calamianes were waiting for passengers, mostly tourists.

Enjoy Photo-Hunt

Calamianes: Sky-watching from Mt. Tapyas

@ mirandablue

Watching the effects of the changing light on the hills of Busuanga Island as the sun sets in the Calamianes.


Golden sunshine covered the slopes, hills and valleys surrounding Mount Tapyas.

@ mirandablue

Blades of grass bowing in gentle September breeze.

Countless shades of green color the landscape.  

The grass is greener in Busuanga Island than anywhere I've been to in the Philippines.  No wonder there are more cows here.

@ mirandablue
Mount Darala mountain range

 Clouds drifted over Mount Darala, a dormant volcano.

@ mirandablue

A blissful moment of solitude as I scanned the spectacular views of the nearby islands in the Calamianes.

@ mirandablue

Join sky-watchers from around the world at Sky-Watch Friday

Calamianes: 700 Steps to Mount Tapyas

@ mirandablue

From where I stood at Lualhati Park by the harbor, the cross at the summit of Mount Tapyas seemed unreachable.  The cross was there to be admired from a distance..."unreachable" was a happy thought that didn't last long.  Because right after I took this photo, Cherry, our guide, asked if we were ready to climb Mount Tapyas.  I was floored, I protested, I knew the pain!  I have climbed mountains in the past, and have promised myself "never again".  But my little sister was determined to see the top of the mountain.  Cherry assured me that it's going to be an easy climb because of a concrete stairway, "Only 718 steps, ma'am," she said sweetly.

We climbed aboard our tricycle, and it took us back to the streets of Coron---the hilly parts, until we reached the base of the mountain.  Boys selling bottled water were there to greet us.  I knew I would be dehydrated before I reach the first 100 steps.  I had a moment of panic when I saw the stairs---the trek to Batad rice terraces came back to haunt me!

@ mirandablue

Mount Tapyas is one of the mountains in Busuanga Island. It stands 210 meters above sea level and offers a panoramic view of Coron Bay and the nearby islands of the Calamianes. During Holy Week, the faithful make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer by climbing Mount Tapyas.

@ mirandablue

The best time to climb Mount Tapyas is late in the afternoon when the sun is not as intense.  I thanked my lucky stars for cloudy skies and benches along the way, perfect for people like me who needed to catch their breath every 10 minutes.  Shooting also provided a breather, and somehow disguised my laborious, heavy-footed steps.

@ mirandablue
view to the west

The views were all worth stopping for.  A dozen steps offered a different perspective.  The western part of Calamianes was shrouded with heavy clouds while the sun beamed towards the east, highlighting parts of the lush, mysterious Coron Island across the bay.

@ mirandablue

Looking down at the verdant Coron town and the reclamation area where we were at just over an hour ago.  I couldn't believe I was able to reach the top in less than an hour, without fainting. Gosh, I am so out of shape!

@ mirandablue

I still couldn't enough of this sight---the craggy slopes, dark crevices, I wondered what was waiting for us at Coron Island, what secrets it would reveal.

@ mirandablue

At the back slopes of Mount Tapyas was this breathtaking sight---gentle, verdant slopes bathed with  sunshine; invigorating mountain air filled my senses, and my knees seemed to be working again!  At the background is Mount Dalara, a dormant volcano, the source of Maquinit hot spring, the only known saltwater hot spring in the Philippines.

@ mirandablue

The golden sunlight was beautiful, and I was looking forward to a gorgeous sunset that afternoon.  But the sun wasn't in the mood to show off...it retired quietly and without fanfare.  And to make up for it, a rainbow appeared on our way down!

@ mirandablue

Twilight at Mount Tapyas as we traipsed down the stairway.  Despite the strained muscles and throbbing ankle, I'm glad I experienced Mount Tapyas.  A visit to Busuanga Island is not complete without it.

@ mirandablue

The blues are for Sally at Blue Monday

Calamianes: Coron Harbor Center [Watery Wednesday]

@ mirandablue

The Coron Harbor Center was our first stop after checking in at Darayonan.  We took a tricycle and cruised around town. The harbor center is part of the reclaimed land facing Coron Bay, it's also where the Coron Gateway Hotel is located--the first boutique and luxury hotel in Busuanga Island.  Of course, we didn't stay there.:p

@ mirandablue

Beside the Gateway Hotel is the town's public market, a police station, a tourist desk, and a park called Lualhati Park dedicated to the mother of the mayor and governor--the mayor of Coron and the governor of Palawan are brothers (it seems a political dynasty is alive and well in these parts).  The park offers a beautiful view of the mysterious and rugged Coron Island, the third largest island in the 80 plus islands in the Calamianes, and part of the ancestral domain of the indigenous Tagbanua people.

@ mirandablue

Outriggers are the usual mode of transport around the islands.  Tourists rent outrigger boats to visit the islands, snorkel and dive.  Boatmen also act as guides, they know where the best coral reefs and ship wrecks (Japanese World War II ships) are, they took care of our lunch, and made sure we enjoyed our stay.

@ mirandablue

Aside from tourism, fishing is the main source of livelihood here.  Hotels and restaurants in Manila get most of their live seafoods from this area.

@ mirandablue

We're still in the monsoon season, and the weather had been unpredictable.  It was a cloudy afternoon when we arrived in Coron, and it rained all through the night until the next morning.  The mountains were also covered with fog which was quite enchanting.

The harbor center is a jump-off point to the Calamian Islands.  This is where we rendezvoused with our boatman the next morning for our Coron adventure.

Coron Island at the background

@ mirandablue

Get virtually wet at Watery Wednesday